Train to Be a Pharmacist Tech

How to Enroll In a Pharmacy Technician College near Brookwood 35444

Having made the decision to earn your pharmacy tech certificate or degree near Brookwood AL, you may be thinking about just how to choose the best college to receive your education and training. Usually the first step is to find schools that offer the degree or diploma that you would like to earn. Many future students start by looking for colleges that are within commuting distance of their home, and then comparing the cost. While cost and location are critical concerns when choosing a college, they are not the only ones. Qualifiers including reputation and accreditation should be taken into account as well. And if you are interested in studying in your home in front of your computer rather than in a classroom, then searching for an accredited online school will also be part of your vetting process. We will address these qualifications and others that you will want to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let’s discuss what a pharmacy tech does, the degree and certification options available, and the benefits of online programs.

The Role of a Pharmacy Tech

Pharmacy techs have multiple job duties, but their principal duty is to dispense prescription medicines. Because they are not licensed, when dispensing prescriptions they must operate under the management of a licensed Brookwood AL pharmacist. They must also have good customer service abilities since they will be working directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be precise when preparing prescription drugs per the pharmacist’s directions. And they need to have a comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terms in order that they may assist customers with understanding directions for their prescriptions in addition to other pharmaceutical literature and information. However, under no situation should they ever give medical advice pertaining to medications or anything else. All such questions would be handled by the pharmacist. A few of the regular daily tasks a pharmacy tech may perform are:

Welcome and help customers with prescriptions and other questions

Dispense prescription medications under pharmacist direction

Add customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system

Phone customers when their medications are ready for pick-up

Complete and submit customer insurance claim forms

Stock shelves and audit and control inventory

As a consequence of their job, pharmacy techs will spend the majority of their working day standing. And working weekends and evenings is also very common, particularly for newer techs with low seniority. But the reward for occasional tired and aching feet or sometimes being required to work off-hours is an extremely rewarding career helping people with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Technician Degree Programs

Students wishing to enroll in a pharmacy technician school are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are essentially two alternatives to training to be a technician whether you enroll in a community college or a trade school. The first is to earn a diploma or a certificate, which typically can be completed in a year or less. These programs provide an overview to the different facets of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and generally include classroom and lab training. A number of programs also include an internship at {an approved|an accepted Brookwood AL pharmacy or similar facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which typically involves about two years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does furnish a more expansive education and can lead to more advanced positions or education in the future. Either program should provide the necessary level of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate decide to become certified.

Pharmacist Technician Certifications Offered

Certification is not required in all states, but many graduates of pharmacy tech colleges choose to get certified in order to be more competitive when seeking employment. Also, many Brookwood AL pharmacies will only employ a technician that is certified. There are two organizations that offer certification:

National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

The NHA requirements are that the applicant be at least 18 years old, has graduated from high school, has completed a training program, and has one or more years of professional experience. The PTCB only requires that the applicant has a high school diploma and passes their examination. Recertification is called for every 2 years by both programs, which can be satisfied by performing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacist Tech Online Colleges

Prior to choosing a pharmacy tech online training program, it’s important to realize that most schools do require a portion of the training be completed in a clinical setting. This is usually satisfied in a local Brookwood pharmacy or health center by means of an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work under a seasoned pharmacy tech in order to acquire some work place experience. However the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed over the internet in your Brookwood AL home or via any available computer. This alternative is more practical for most students, notably for those who keep working while acquiring their degree or certificate. And online colleges are frequently less expensive than classroom options. Tuition and expenditures for commuting and study materials may be decreased substantially. With both the clinical and the online training, a complete education is offered. But not all online colleges are accredited, which is important for obtaining certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So check that any online college you are reviewing is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are dedicated enough to study with a less formal type of education, then online instruction may be the right solution for you.

Points to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools

After you have decided whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are many pharmacy technician colleges to select from in the Brookwood AL area and throughout the United States, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and trade schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably initially look for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Brookwood home. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you should take into consideration in order to effectively compare schools. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate choice.

Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Most pharmacy technician colleges and trade schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to offer a comprehensive superior education. Online schools may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance learning. Don’t forget to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Along with helping make sure that you get a quality education, it can assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Brookwood AL pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of employers desire that the techs they employ be certified. The pharmacy tech school needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This qualification can be fulfilled by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.

Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which can be fulfilled with an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the programs have a working relationship with Brookwood AL area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the School Give Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial position in Brookwood AL upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging task without any help. Find out if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field creating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Brookwood AL residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacist technician school you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Brookwood AL area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Brookwood AL Pharmacy Tech School?

If you are planning to attend a Pharmacy Technician Certificate or Degree Program in the Brookwood Alabama area, you may find the following background information about the location of your school campus interesting and informative.

Brookwood, Alabama

Brookwood is a town in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States. It incorporated in September 1977.[5] As of the 2010 census, the population of the town is 1,828.[3] It is part of the Tuscaloosa, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 1,483 people, 553 households, and 430 families residing in the town. The population density was 182.3 people per square mile (70.4/km2). There were 613 housing units at an average density of 75.4 per square mile (29.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.91% White, 0.54% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 0.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 553 households out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.07.

Find the Ideal Pharmacy Technician School Brookwood AL

Receiving the best pharmacist tech training is an important first step to starting your career in a fulfilling profession where helping people with their health is your objective. Traditionally, most pharmacy techs were trained “on the job”. Nowadays, the majority of pharmacies can no longer afford to do this and place a higher importance on hiring formally educated technicians. Training is provided by vocational and trade schools, technical colleges as well as community colleges. A large number of pharmacy technician programs include both classroom and laboratory work. As we have addressed in this article, it’s important to select a school that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This applies both for classes online and for those attended on campus. And if you follow our other suggestions you will be able to compare programs so that you are certain to make the right selection. With the right training and commitment you can achieve your goal of becominga pharmacist tech in Brookwood AL.